trays of loaves upon their heads。 From the low and smoky arcades to
right and left came the reiterated grunt of negroes pounding coffee。 A
fanatic was roaring out his prayers。 Arabs in scarlet and blue cloaks
passed by to the Bain Maure； under whose white and blue archway
lounged the Kabyle masseurs with folded； muscular arms。 A marabout；
black as a coal； rode on a white horse towards the great mosque；
followed by his servant on foot。
Native soldiers went by to the Kasba on the height； or strolled down
towards the Cafes Maures smoking cigarettes。 Circles of grave men bent
over card games； dominoes and draughtscalled by the Arabs the
Ladies' Game。 Khodjas made their way with dignity towards the Bureau
Arabe。 Veiled women； fat and lethargic； jingling with ornaments；
waddled through the arches of the arcades； carrying in their painted
and perspiring hands blocks of sweetmeats which drew the flies。
Children played in the dust by little heaps of refuse； which they
stirred up into clouds with their dancing； naked feet。 In front； as if
from the first palms of the oasis； rose the roar of beaten drums from
the negroes' quarter； and from the hill…top at the feet of the
minarets came the fierce and piteous noise that is the /leit…motif/ of
the desert； the multitudinous complaining of camels dominating all
other sounds。
As Domini and Androvsky rode into this whirlpool of humanity； above
which the sky was red like a great wound； it flowed and eddied round
them； making them its centre。 The arrival of a stranger…woman was a
rare； if not an unparalleled； event in Amara； and Batouch had been
very busy in spreading the fame of his mistress。
〃Madame should dismount；〃 said Batouch。 〃Ali will take the horses； and
I will escort Madame and Monsieur up the hill to the place of the
fountain。 Shabah will be there to greet Madame。〃
〃What an uproar！〃 Domini exclaimed； half laughing； half confused。 〃Who
on earth is Shabah？〃
〃Shabah is the Caid of Amara；〃 replied Batouch with dignity。 〃The
greatest man of the city。 He awaits Madame by the fountain。〃 Domini
cast a glance at Androvsky。
〃Well？〃 she said。
He shrugged his shoulders like a man who thinks strife useless and the
moment come for giving in to Fate。
〃The monster has opened his jaws for us；〃 he said； forcing a laugh。
〃We had better walk in； I suppose。 ButO Domini！the silence of the
wastes！〃
〃We shall know it again。 This is only for the moment。 We shall have
all its joy again。〃
〃Who knows？〃 he said； as he had said when they were riding up the sand
slope。 〃Who knows？〃
Then they got off their horses and were taken by the crowd。
CHAPTER XXII
The tumult of Amara waked up in Domini the town…sense that had been
slumbering。 All that seemed to confuse； to daze； to repel Androvsky；
even to inspire him with fear； the noise of the teeming crowds； their
perpetual movement； their contact； startled her into a vividness of
life and apprehension of its various meanings； that sent a thrill
through her。 And the thrill was musical with happiness。 To the sad a
great vision of human life brings sadness because they read into the
hearts of others their own misery。 But to the happy such a vision
brings exultation； for everywhere they find dancing reflections of
their own joy。 Domini had lived much in crowds； but always she had
been actively unhappy； or at least coldly dreary in them。 Now； for the
first time； she was surrounded by masses of fellow…beings in her
splendid contentment。 And the effect of this return； as it were； to
something like the former material conditions of her life； with the
mental and affectional conditions of it transformed by joy； was
striking even to herself。 Suddenly she realised to the full her own
humanity； and the living warmth of sympathy that is fanned into flame
in a human heart by the presence of human life with its hopes；
desires； fears； passions； joys； that leap to the eye。 Instead of
hating this fierce change from solitude with the man she loved to a
crowd with the man she loved she rejoiced in it。 Androvsky was the
cause of both her joys； joy in the waste and joy in Amara； but while
he shared the one he did not share the other。
This did not surprise her because of the conditions in which he had
lived。 He was country…bred and had always dwelt far from towns。 She
was returning to an old experienceold； for the London crowd and the
crowd of Amara were both crowds of men； however differentwith a mind
transformed by happiness。 To him the experience was new。 Something
within her told her that it was necessary； that it had been ordained
because he needed it。 The recalled town…sense； with its sharpness of
observation； persisted。 As she rode in to Amara she had seemed to
herself to be reading Androvsky with an almost merciless penetration
which yet she could not check。 Now she did not wish to check it； for
the penetration that is founded on perfect love can only yield good
fruit。 It seemed to her that she was allowed to see clearly for
Androvsky what he could not see himself； almost as the mother sees for
the child。 This contact with the crowds of Amara was； she thought； one
of the gifts the desert made to him。 He did not like it。 He wished to
reject it。 But he was mistaken。 For the moment his vision was clouded；
as our vision for ourselves so often is。 She realised this； and； for
the first time since the marriage service at Beni…Mora； perhaps seemed
to be selfish。 She opposed his wish。 Hitherto there had never been any
sort of contest between them。 Their desires； like their hearts； had
been in accord。 Now there was not a contest； for Androvsky yielded to
Domini's preference； when she expressed it； with a quickness that set
his passion before her in a new and beautiful light。 But she knew
that； for the moment； they were not in accord。 He hated and dreaded
what she encountered with a vivid sensation of sympathy and joy。
She felt that there was something morbid in his horror of the crowd；
and the same strength of her nature said to her； 〃Uproot it！〃
Their camp was pitched on the sand…hills； to the north of the city
near the French and Arab cemeteries。 They reached it only when
darkness was falling； going out of the city on foot by the great wall
of dressed stone which enclosed the Kasba of the native soldiers； and
ascending and descending various slopes of deep sand； over which the
airs of night blew with a peculiar thin freshness that renewed
Domini's sense of being at the end of the world。 Everything here
whispered the same message； said； 〃We are the denizens of far…away。〃
In their walk to the camp they were accompanied by a little
procession。 Shabah； the Caid of Amara； a shortish man whose immense
dignity made him almost gigantic； insisted upon attending them to the
tents； with his young brother； a pretty； libertine boy of sixteen； the
brother's tutor； an Arab black as a negro but without the negro's look
of having been freshly oiled； and two attendants。 To them joined
himself the Caid of the Nomads； a swarthy potentate who not only
looked； but actually was； immense； his four servants； and his uncle； a
venerable person like a shepherd king。 These worthies surrounded
Domini and Androvsky； and behind streamed the curious； the envious；
the greedy and the desultory Arabs； who follow in the trail of every
stranger； hopeful of the crumbs that are said to fall from the rich
man's table。 Shabah spoke French and led the conversation； which was
devoted chiefly to his condition of health。 Some years before an
attempt had been made upon his life by poison； and since that time； as
he himself expressed it； his stomach had been 〃perturbed as a guard
dog in the night when robbers are approaching。〃 All efforts to console
or to inspire him with hope of future cure were met with a stern
hopelessness； a brusque certainty of perpetual suffering。 The idea
that his stomach could again know peace evidently shocked and
distressed him； and as they all waded together through the sand；
pioneered by the glorified Batouch； Domini was obliged to yield to his
emphatic despair； and to join with him in his appreciation of the
perpetual indigestion which set him apart from the rest of the world
like some God within a shrine。 The skittish boy； his brother； who wore
kid gloves； cast at her sly glances of admiration which asked for a
return。 The black tutor grinned。 And the Caid of the Nomads punctuated
their progress with loud grunts of heavy satisfaction； occasionally
making use of Batouch as interpreter to express his hopes that they
would visit his palace in the town； and devour a cous…cous on his
carpet。
When they came to the tents it was necessary to entertain these
personages with coffee； and they finally departed promising a speedy
return； and full of invitations； which were cordially accepted by
Batouch on his employer's behalf before either Domini or Androvsky had
time to say a word。
As the /cortege/ disappeared over the sands towards the city Domini
burst into a little laugh； and drew Androvsky out to the tent door to
see them go。
〃Society in the sands！〃 she exclaimed gaily。 〃Boris； this is a new
experience。 Look at our guests making their way to their